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July 3rd, 1981.

July 3rd, 1981, was a Friday. It was day 184 of 1981. The decade was the Eighties.

41 years, 8 months and 20 days have passed since July 3rd, 1981.

The zodiac star sign for this date is Cancer.

On This Day

On this day.

What happened on July 3rd, 1981?

  • AIDS epidemic: The New York Times publishes a story about a "rare cancer" that has been found in 41 homosexuals.
Song charts

Music charts.

Songs that were on top of the music singles charts in the USA and the United Kingdom on July 3rd, 1981.

  • United States: Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
  • United Kingdom: One Day In Your Life - Michael Jackson

The Billboard Hot 100 on July 3rd, 1981.

These were the top five songs from the Billboard Hot 100 chart.

  • Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes
  • Medley - Stars On 45
  • Sukiyaki - A Taste Of Honey
  • A Woman Needs Love (Just Like You Do) - Ray Parker Jr. & Raydio
  • All Those Years Ago - George Harrison
Play the top singles from the year 1981.
A Spotify playlist of songs from 1981. Let us take you back to the peak days of Kim Wilde, Lionel Richie, Phil Collins and The Police.
Superman II

Top movie at the Box Office.

The movie "Superman II" was at the top of the Box Office on July 3rd, 1981.

Take me back to July 3rd, 1981!

Let's take a stroll down memory lane!

The date is July 3rd, 1981, and it's a Friday. Anyone born today will have the star sign Cancer. Currently, people have "that Friday feeling" and are looking forward to the weekend.

In America, the July 4th celebrations are fast approaching. It's summer, so the temperatures are warmer and the evenings are longer than usual. In America, the song Bette Davis Eyes by Kim Carnes is on top of the singles charts.

Over in the UK, One Day In Your Life by Michael Jackson is the number one hit song. Ronald Reagan is currently the President of the United States, and the movie Superman II is at the top of the Box Office. In the United Kingdom, Margaret Thatcher is the current Prime Minister.

In fashion, women are currently wearing jelly shoes, turtleneck sweaters, loose high-waist pants, crop tops and puffer jackets lined with fur. Meanwhile, men have been ditching the disco look of the 70s in favor of athletic clothing such as tracksuits and sports jerseys. The "preppy" look has also been making a comeback. Because it's 1981, the radio stations are being dominated by artists such as Kim Carnes, Soft Cell, Phil Collins, John Lennon, Stars On 45, Diana Ross and Olivia Newton-John. The movie "Superman II" is currently showing in theaters.

If you were to travel back to this day, notable figures such as Adam Walsh, Bill Shankly, William Holden and Natalie Wood would all be still alive. On TV, people are watching popular shows such as "WKRP in Cincinnati", "The Dukes of Hazzard", "The Facts of Life" and "Hart to Hart". Meanwhile, gamers are playing titles such as "Breakout", "Space Invaders", "Galaxian" and "Missile Command".

Children and teenagers are currently watching television shows such as "The Bugs Bunny Show", "The All New Popeye Hour", "Diff'rent Strokes" and "Thundarr the Barbarian". Popular toys at the moment include the likes of Lite-Brite, Screwball Scramble, Intellivision (games console) and Monchhichi / Chicaboo.

News

News topics, nostalgic fads, and pop culture events.

These are trending news stories and fads that were prevalent at this time. These are topics that would have been in the media on July 3rd, 1981.

  • The AIDS epidemic begins.

    The AIDS epidemic begins.

    In the middle of 1981, the AIDS epidemic officially began after the CDC reported that an unusual type of pneumonia had been discovered in five homosexual men in LA.

  • 1981 in music.

    1981 in music.

    Popular music artists in 1981 included Kim Carnes, Diana Ross, Lionel Richie, Kenny Rogers, Rick Springfield, Kool & the Gang, Hall & Oates, Eddie Rabbitt, Dolly Parton and REO Speedwagon.

  • The Rubik's Cube.

    The Rubik's Cube.

    During 1981 and 1982, the Rubik's Cube became a craze. The toy was so popular that books on how to solve it regularly made it into the top ten selling books list.

  • Who were the best NBA players in 1981?

    Who were the best NBA players in 1981?

    The best NBA players in 1981 were Julius Erving, Larry Bird, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, George Gervin and Dennis Johnson.

  • 1981 in movies.

    1981 in movies.

    Movies released in 1981 included Raiders of the Lost Ark, On Golden Pond, Superman II, Arthur, Stripes, The Cannonball Run, Chariots of Fire, For Your Eyes Only, The Four Seasons, Escape from New York, The Evil Dead, Mad Max 2, An American Werewolf in London and Time Bandits.

  • Who were the best football players in 1981?

    Who were the best football players in 1981?

    In 1981, the best soccer players were Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Paul Breitner, Bernd Schuster, Michel Platini, Oleg Blokhin, Dino Zoff, Ramaz Shengelia, Alexsandr Chivadze, Liam Brady and John Wark.

  • Chariots of Fire.

    Chariots of Fire.

    "Chariots of Fire" won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1981.

  • Lech Walesa.

    Lech Walesa.

    The architect of the Gdansk Agreement, Lech Walesa, was named as the Time Person of the Year in 1981.

  • Kim Carnes - "Bette Davis Eyes"

    Kim Carnes - "Bette Davis Eyes"

    "Bette Davis Eyes" by Kim Carnes won a Grammy for 1981's Song of the Year.

  • Iran-Iraq War.

    Iran-Iraq War.

    Between September, 1980 and August, 1988, an armed conflict was being fought between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Iraqi Republic.

  • Early 1980s fashion.

    Early 1980s fashion.

    The early 80s saw a minimalist approach to fashion, with some trends carrying over from the late 1970s. Sweaters, fur-lined puffer jackets, tunics, ripped jeans, leotards, velour tracksuits, tube tops, knee-length skirts, high-waisted pants and embroidered jeans were all popular during this period. The colors during the early 1980s were subdued, quiet and basic. Varying shades of brown, tan, and orange were in fashion.

  • The Atari 2600.

    The Atari 2600.

    During this period, the Atari 2600 was the dominant game system.

  • The Walkman.

    The Walkman.

    In the late 1970s and 1980s, portable cassette players such as the "Sony Walkman" were becoming more and more common.

  • People are using wallpaper to decorate their homes.

    People are using wallpaper to decorate their homes.

    Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, wallpaper was extremely common in people's homes. It wasn't until the mid-late 1980s that "modernism" started to creep in.

Information

Basic facts.

Basic facts and information about this date.

  • 41 years, 8 months and 20 days have passed since July 3rd, 1981.
  • Week Number: This date occurred during Week 27 of 1981.
  • Leap Year: 1981 was not a leap year.
  • Age: A person born on July 3rd, 1981 will be 41 years old.
  • Generation: People born in 1981 belong to the Generation Y (Millennial) generation.
  • Unix Timestamp: The Unix Timestamp for this date is 362962800.
Events

Around this time.

News stories, pop culture trends, and other events that happened around July 3rd, 1981.

  • June 4th, 1981: The final episode of The Waltons is aired on television.
  • June 5th, 1981: News of AIDS begins to spread, as the CDC issues a report about a rare case of "pneumonia" that has been found in five homosexual men.
  • June 7th, 1981: Israel carries out an airstrike on an Iraqi nuclear reactor.
  • June 9th, 1981: Soccer: Ron Atkinson becomes the new manager of Manchester United.
  • June 10th, 1981: IRA member Joe Doherty and seven other prisoners escape from Crumlin Road Jail in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
  • June 13th, 1981: A 17-year-old man is arrested after he fires six blank cartridges at Queen Elizabeth in London.
  • June 18th, 1981: US Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart announces that he will be retiring in July.
  • June 19th, 1981: The Cannonball Run (1981) is released.
  • June 21st, 1981: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark is released in theaters.
  • June 21st, 1981: Serial killer Wayne Williams is arrested in Atlanta.
  • June 22nd, 1981: Mark Chapman pleads guilty to the 1980 murder of Beatles singer John Lennon.
  • June 26th, 1981: The film Stripes (1981), starring Bill Murray, is released in movie theaters.
  • June 28th, 1981: 74 leading members of the Islamic Republican Party are killed after a bomb explodes during an IRP meeting in the Iranian capital of Tehran.
  • June 28th, 1981: Canadian athlete Terry Fox dies from cancer at the age of 22.
  • This date: July 3rd, 1981
  • July 5th, 1981: Rioting and looting takes place on the streets of Toxteth, Liverpool.
  • July 10th, 1981: The Fox and the Hound (1981) is released.
  • July 10th, 1981: The film Escape from New York (1981) is released.
  • July 10th, 1981: Ken McElroy is murdered in Skidmore, Missouri.
  • July 17th, 1981: The movie Arthur (1981) is released in cinemas.
  • July 17th, 1981: Soft Cell release their version of the song "Tainted Love".
  • July 17th, 1981: 114 people are killed after two walkways collapse during a tea dance at the Hyatt Regency Kansas City hotel.
  • July 18th, 1981: Over 100 people are injured after a hunger strike demonstration turns violent in Dublin, Ireland.
  • July 27th, 1981: The infamous murder of 6-year-old Adam Walsh occurs in Hollywood, Florida.
  • July 29th, 1981: Prince Charles and Lady Diana are married in London, England.
  • July 30th, 1981: Thousands of people take part in several hunger demonstrations across Poland.
  • August 1st, 1981: The music channel MTV is launched.
  • August 1st, 1981: Diana Ross and Lionel Richie release the song "Endless Love".

Personality traits.

Check out our personality summary for people who were born on July 3rd, 1981.

What are your strengths and weaknesses?

View Personality Summary

Zodiac info

Horoscope, birthstone, and birth flower information.

Zodiac and birthstone information.

NEW! Check out our personality summary image for this birth date.

  • Zodiac Sign (Astrology): Anyone born on July 3rd, 1981, will have the star sign Cancer.
  • Zodiac Element: Water.
  • Chinese Zodiac Animal: In the Chinese Zodiac, 1981 was the year of the Rooster (Yin Water).
  • The Life Path Number for this date is 11.
  • Native American Zodiac: July 3rd, 1981 falls under the Woodpecker.
  • Birthstone: A person during the month of July will have the birthstone Ruby.
  • Birth flower (July): The Larkspur and the Water Lily.

Photos of early 1980s fashion.

Photographs of early 1980s fashion and hairstyles.

Photos of early 1980s fashion.

Television shows

TV shows in 1981.

Television shows that people were watching in July, 1981.

TV shows from July, 1981.

The Greatest American Hero
The Greatest American Hero
Comedy-drama superhero series starring William Katt as Ralph Hinkley.

Magnum, P.I.
Magnum, P.I.
Starring Tom Selleck as Private Investigator Thomas Magnum.

Knots Landing
Knots Landing
American soap opera.

Archie Bunker's Place
Archie Bunker's Place
Sitcom starring Carroll O'Connor.

Trapper John, M.D.
Trapper John, M.D.
Medical drama.

Hart to Hart
Hart to Hart
TV show about a couple who moonlight as detectives.

The Facts of Life
The Facts of Life
Sitcom about a girls boarding school in Peekskill, New York. Starring Charlotte Rae as housemother Edna Garrett.

The Dukes of Hazzard
The Dukes of Hazzard
American television series.

WKRP in Cincinnati
WKRP in Cincinnati
Sitcom about staff members who work at a radio station in Cincinnati.

Taxi
Taxi
American sitcom starring Andy Kaufman and Danny DeVito.

Dallas
Dallas
Soap opera.

The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk
Starring Lou Ferrigno.

The Love Boat
The Love Boat
Television series that was set on a cruise ship. Starring Gavin MacLeod as Captain Merrill Stubing.

Chips
Chips
TV show about two California Highway Patrol motorcycle officers called Jon Baker and Frank "Ponch" Poncherello.

Eight Is Enough
Eight Is Enough
Television series about the "Bradford brood" and their father.

Three's Company
Three's Company
Sitcom about two girls and their male room mate.

Quincy, M.E.
Quincy, M.E.
TV show about a Los Angeles County medical examiner called Dr. Quincy.

Laverne & Shirley
Laverne & Shirley
Series about two roommates called Laverne DeFazio and Shirley Feeney.

Barney Miller
Barney Miller
Sitcom about a police station in New York City. Starring Hal Linden as Captain Bernard "Barney" Miller.

The Jeffersons
The Jeffersons
TV show about an African- American couple that have moved into an upscale high-rise building.

Little House on the Prairie
Little House on the Prairie
TV show that was set in the 1870s.

Happy Days
Happy Days
TV show that is set in the 1950s / 1960s in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Last of the Summer Wine
Last of the Summer Wine
British sitcom about three senior citizens in the Yorkshire Dales.

M*A*S*H
M*A*S*H
TV series about an American military medical unit during the Korean War.

The Two Ronnies
The Two Ronnies
British comedy sketch show starring Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbett.

Columbo
Columbo
Crime drama television series starring Peter Falk as Columbo.

Cars in 1981.

1981 saw the introduction of cars such as the Chevrolet Cavalier, the DMC DeLorean, the Honda City, the Nissan Maxima, the BMW 5 Series (E28) and the Chevrolet Camaro (third generation).

Cars in 1981.

Children TV shows

Kids' TV shows on July 3rd, 1981.

Cartoons and TV shows that children and teenagers were watching on this day in 1981.

Thundarr the Barbarian
Thundarr the Barbarian

Cockleshell Bay
Cockleshell Bay

The New Adventures of Flash Gordon
The New Adventures of Flash Gordon

Diff'rent Strokes
Diff'rent Strokes

Mork & Mindy
Mork & Mindy

Battle of the Planets
Battle of the Planets

The All New Popeye Hour
The All New Popeye Hour

Happy Days
Happy Days

Schoolhouse Rock!
Schoolhouse Rock!

Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids
Fat Albert and the Cosby Kids

Sesame Street
Sesame Street

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood
Mister Rogers' Neighborhood

The Bugs Bunny Show
The Bugs Bunny Show

Captain Kangaroo
Captain Kangaroo

Toys

Popular toys and games in 1981.

Toys and games that were popular on this date in 1981.

Space Lego
Space Lego

Fischer Price cassette player
Fischer Price cassette player

Monchhichi / Chicaboo
Monchhichi / Chicaboo

Rubik's Cube
Rubik's Cube

Strawberry Shortcake dolls
Strawberry Shortcake dolls

Big wheel (tricycle)
Big wheel (tricycle)

Intellivision (games console)
Intellivision (games console)

Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine
Snoopy Sno-Cone Machine

Screwball Scramble
Screwball Scramble

Cabbage Patch Kids
Cabbage Patch Kids

Speak & Spell
Speak & Spell

Simon (memory game)
Simon (memory game)

Hungry Hungry Hippos
Hungry Hungry Hippos

Water Ring Toss
Water Ring Toss

The Atari 2600
The Atari 2600

Star Wars action figures
Star Wars action figures

Lego Technic
Lego Technic

Dungeons & Dragons
Dungeons & Dragons

Magna Doodle
Magna Doodle

Big Jim (action figure)
Big Jim (action figure)

VertiBird (toy helicopter)
VertiBird (toy helicopter)

Lite-Brite
Lite-Brite

Operation
Operation

The Easy-Bake Oven
The Easy-Bake Oven

Video games

Video games.

Popular video games that people were playing in July of 1981.

Missile Command 1980
Missile Command
Arcade game developed by Atari.

Pac-Man 1980
Pac-Man
Maze arcade game.

Galaxian 1980
Galaxian
Fixed shooter arcade game.

Asteroids 1979
Asteroids
Space-themed shooter arcade game.

Lunar Lander 1979
Lunar Lander
In which the player controls a lunar landing module.

Space Invaders 1978
Space Invaders
Shooter arcade game.

Breakout 1976
Breakout
Arcade game published by Atari.

Were you born on this date?

If you were born on this date, then it is unlikely that you will remember anything from the year 1981.

This is because humans find it difficult to retrieve memories of their early childhood.

If you are looking for some childhood nostalgia, then you should check out July 3rd, 1987, instead.

Celebrity birthdays

Celebrity birthdays.

Celebrities, historical figures, and other notable people who were born on July 3rd.

Kurtwood Smith

Actor.
Born on July 3rd, 1943
He turned 38 on this day in 1981.

Montel Williams

Television personality.
Born on July 3rd, 1956
He turned 25 on this day in 1981.

Tom Cruise

Actor.
Born on July 3rd, 1962
He turned 19 on this day in 1981.

Julian Assange

Wikileaks founder.
Born on July 3rd, 1971
He turned 10 on this day in 1981.

USA

US President.

Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States on July 3rd, 1981.

UK

UK Prime Minister.

Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

Ireland

Irish Taoiseach.

Garret FitzGerald was the Taoiseach of Ireland.

Conception

Conception dates.

Conception estimates for this date.

  • A baby that was born on July 3rd, 1981 was most likely conceived around October 10th, 1980.
  • The due date for a baby that was conceived on July 3rd, 1981 is close to March 26th, 1982.

Post a comment about this date.

Have something to say about this date? Was it your birthday? Or perhaps you have a memory of it?

All comments are moderated before they are published. We may edit comments to correct misspellings and grammar. We may also remove or redact personal information.

How old was I?

Find out what your age was on July 3rd, 1981, by entering your DOB below.
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Stats for July 3rd, 1981

Time difference & statistics.

Here are some fun statistics about July 3rd, 1981.

  • A total of 15,238 days have passed since this date.
  • 2,176 weeks have passed.
  • 1,316,566,800 seconds have passed since the July 3rd, 1981.
  • If you were born on this day, your heart has beated approximately 1,535,994,600 times.
  • Since July 3rd, 1981, the Earth has travelled approximately 679,348,468,800 miles through space.
  • If you were born on this day, your eyes have blinked approximately 219,427,800 times.
  • If you were born on this day, you have taken approximately 113,224,745 steps. That's about 50,322 miles!
  • Since this date, 15,798,802 meteors have entered the Earth's atmosphere!
  • How many years ago was 1981?

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